Good things take time.

I've been wanting to share this for a while, but of course, it's gotta brew first so one needs some patience. I'm also tempted to have a glass now, but the man is away as you know, and it'll be all the more special to share when he gets back. It's our meeting anniversary this solstice - we met in Somerset in 2001 on a dark, cold and windy winter night. It was the first time I saw the fabled Glastonbury Tor as we drove with a group of friends to a gig and the air seemed full of magic - or maybe that was just the vodka talking and the fact that a few hours previously I'd just fallen in love - at first sight. Seriously. Within a week we'd decided to get married - no matter he lived in England and I lived in Australia. We were smitten.


_{Damiana soaking in vodka - what a beautiful colour}

Yesterday's post detailed a little bit about damiana and a few months back I also wrote this one so if you missed the writing on the benefits of damiana, you might wanna go read those. I also wrote one about anxiety herbs and damiana being one of them.

It's reputation for being a nervous system tonic that I ordered it, and I know it's great for recovering from long term stress and when the nervous system is wired, like mine is right now. It's meant to be relaxing and uplifting, and useful for anxiety, mild depression and nervous exhaustion. Even though I have been kept together by good eating and other supportive herbs as well as magnesium, I needed damiana's kick to truly bring me out of this awful nervous tension this week. Brewed on the hob with some honey to mellow it's slightly bitter taste, and a dash of chamomile, I felt better than I had for days My racing heart beat slowed, my jitteriness soothed and softened and I felt better than I have felt in weeks.

Funnily enough (and I didn't realise this when I started this post this morning) I'd written that post on Winter Solstice in Australia - today is winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere and we're approaching summer solstice in Australia. Nice magical poetry there! I write:

I love the way these sacred botanicals connect us to the wild spirits that are part of us all and part of nature - spreading awareness outward to the natural world and absorbing it into us - a feeling of oneness with the natural world and a deep reverence for what they can give us. I guess I need to give a word of caution here - if you're going to brew a strong damiana alcoholic drink, it's probably not wise that you drink the whole bottle in one sitting or those golden fairies are going to dance you round in sexy circles til dawn. And it's not just the alcohol - if anyone's ever dabbled with absinthe, it's a similar feeling that goes far beyond just the booze. Whilst we did have a night to remember, we haven't touched it since, overwhelmed as we were by the power of this brew.

However….

We're a little more cautious and moderate these days, so maybe this time we'll just keep it to a magical glass or three.

Damiana Love Juice

1 700 ml bottle of good quality vodka
1.5 cups of dried damiana
1 cup of honey
6 cups of water

Soak the damiana in vodka for about a week. Strain, and then soak the leaves in water for another 3 - 5 days. Strain the water and gently heat this in a saucepan with the honey. Cool and add this to the damiana vodka. Leave for 4 - 6 weeks and then enjoy with caution and moderation!

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Posted from my blog with SteemPress : http://www.riverflowings.com/damiana-love-juice/

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